Question No.
1:Yaksha questioned: Who makes the sun to rise and ascend in the skies? Who
moves around the Sun? Who makes the sun set in the horizons? What is the true
nature of the Sun and where is the sun established?
Yudhisthira
answered: Brahma makes the sun rise and ascend. The Gods perambulate about the
Sun. The Dharm sets the Sun. Truth is the actual Sun
and the Sun is established in truth only.
Question
No. 2: Yaksha enquired: What instills 'divinity' in Brahmins? What
is the quality of virtuousity in a Brahmin? What is the humanlike quality of a
Brahmin? What is the conduct akin to a non-virtuous person in a Brahmin?
Yudhisthira
replied: The self-study (Swadhyana) of the Vedas is divinity in a Brahmin.
Penance is the quality like a virtuous person in a Brahmin. Death is human-like
quality in a Brahmin. Criticising others is conduct in a Brahmin like a
non-virtuous person.
Question
No. 3: Yaksha asked: What instills 'divinity' in Kshatriyas? What is the quality of virtuousity in a Kshatriya?
What is the humanlike quality of a Kshatriya? What is the conduct akin to a
non-virtuous person in a Kshatriya?
Yudhisthira
replied: The art of archery is the divinity in a Kshatriya. Oblation is
Kshatriya's quality of virtuousity in Kshatriya. Fear is his humanly quality.
Abandoning people under protection of the Kshatriya is conduct like a
non-virtuous person in the Kshatriya.
Question
No. 4 the Yaksha asked: What is that thing which is like a Mantra in the
performance of oblations (Yajnya)? Who is the performer of rites and ceremonies
during Yajnya? Who accepts the offerings and oblations of a Yajnya? What is
that which even a Yajnya can not transgress?
Yudhisthira
replied: 'Breath' is like a Mantra in the performance of rites. 'Mind' is the
performer of all rites in the course of Yajnya. Only Shlokas of the Vedas, termed
rucha or the richa accept oblation. The Yajnya can not
surpass nor transgress the richas.
Question
No. 5 the Yaksha asked: What is heavier than earth, higher than heavens, faster
than the wind and more numerous than straws?
Yudhishthira:
One's mother is heavier than the earth; one's father is higher than the
heavens. The mind is faster than wind and our worries are more numerous than
straws.
Question
No. 6 the Yaksha asked: Who is the friend of a traveler? Who is the friend of
one who is ill and one who is dying?
Yudhishthira:
The friend of a traveler is his companion. The physician is the friend of one
who is sick and a dying man's friend is charity.
Question
No. 7 the Yaksha asked: What is that which, when renounced, makes one lovable?
What is that which is renounced makes happy and wealthy?
Yudhishthira:
Pride, if renounced makes one lovable; by renouncing desire one becomes
wealthy; and to renounce avarice is to obtain happiness.
Question
No. 8 the Yaksha asked: What enemy is invincible? What constitutes an incurable
disease? What sort of man is noble and what sort is ignoble?
Yudhishthira:
Anger is the invincible enemy. Covetousness constitutes a disease that is
incurable. He is noble who desires the well-being of all creatures, and he is
ignoble who is without mercy.
Question
No. 9 the Yaksha asked: Who is truly happy? What is the greatest wonder? What
is the path? And what is the news?
Yudhishthira:
He who has no debts is truly happy. Day after day countless people die. Yet the
living wish to live forever. O Lord, what can be a greater wonder? Argument
leads to no certain conclusion, the Srutis are different from one another;
there is not even one Rishi whose opinion can be accepted by all; the truth
about Dharma and duty is hid in caves of our heart: therefore, that alone is
the path along which the great have trod. This world full of ignorance is like
a pan. The sun is fire, the days and nights are fuel. The months and the
seasons constitute the wooden ladle. Time is the cook that is cooking all
creatures in that pan (with such aids); this is the news
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